


Chickens and Potatoes

by choikanggoo



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Adopted Children, Established Relationship, Happy Ending, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:54:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27453829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/choikanggoo/pseuds/choikanggoo
Summary: Everything was fun and games until Hyunwoo's son declared Kihyun would be his Daddy No. 2.
Relationships: Son Hyunwoo | Shownu/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 13
Kudos: 99





	1. i

"Daddy, we're having chicken tonight?" Kihyun froze, looking down at Jooheon who was innocently smiling up at him as he set the plates on the table. "Did you make mashed potato?"

The single tear that escaped Kihyun's eye was enough to make Jooheon frantic.

"Jooheon-ah," The older sobbed, only crying harder.

"Daddy Ki!" Jooheon shook his hands around. "Daddy Ki, don't cry."

Kihyun's legs gave up and he collapsed down on the chair, pulling Jooheon to his chest while the five year-old reached out to wipe his tears. It was the first time Jooheon called him Daddy.

"I'm home!" They heard Hyunwoo sing as he opened the front door. "Heonnie, are you in the kitchen?"

Only sobs replied to Hyunwoo. He hurriedly sought out his child who was already wailing in the kitchen.

He saw Jooheon sitting in Kihyun's lap, crying against his shoulder. The toddler made grabby hands at father, obliging Hyunwoo to take him from Kihyun.

"Oh, what happened?" He worriedly asked as he hoisted Jooheon up in his arms, tapping his shaking back with one hand before cupping Kihyun's cheek with it. "Why are you both crying?"

"Daddy, I'm sorry I made him cry." Jooheon managed to choke out while Kihyun was still a sobbing mess.

"What did you do, baby?"

"I asked if we're having chicken tonight and if he got mashed potatoes. I forgot he was on a diet."

The half-snort, half-sob laugh that came out of Kihyun caught the father and son's attention.

"It wasn't your fault, Heonnie." Kihyun gathered himself and stood up, hugging his boyfriend and squeezing Jooheon between them. "Can you say it again, what you said earlier?"

"Daddy, chicken." Jooheon was still crying against Hyunwoo's shoulder. "Mashed potato."

Hyunwoo tilted his head at Kihyun who has pulled away and had a heartbroken look in his face. The latter rolled his eyes at his cluelessness.

"Again."

"Daddy, chicken, mashed potato."

"Ah– I'm afraid that was my fault." Hyunwoo stooped down to let go of Jooheon. He also took his bag off his shoulder and threw it on the kitchen counter. "Wait here."

Hyunwoo disappeared to his bedroom, leaving Kihyun and Jooheon. To ease the atmosphere, the older took liberty on putting Hyunwoo's bag on the living room. It irked him at first, how Hyunwoo just leaves everything wherever he can, but Kihyun made it his life's purpose to put his things on their proper places, until he's needed to, at least.

"Daddy Ki, did Jooheon make you sad?" He felt a pair of small arms wrap around his thighs.

"No, baby." Kihyun pulled Jooheon up and sat in the couch, placing the toddler on his lap.

"Then why did you cry?"

"Do you remember Uncle Hyungwon? You met him at my birthday party last year."

"Changkyun's dad? Of course! We go to school together, Daddy Ki."

Kihyun almost sniffled again at how clueless he is when it comes to Hyunwoo's son.

"Well, Uncle Hyungwon and I have another friend, Uncle Minnie."

"Why haven't I met him?"

"He's not great around kids." Kihyun raised an eyebrow. "Or more like Uncle Hyungwon wouldn't want you to meet him."

"I still want to meet him."

"Here's the thing, Jooheon-ah. Uncle Minnie works with your dad in the same building. And Uncle Minnie is a nosy brat so usually checks your dad's schedule just to tease me about it."

"So does Uncle Minnie know all of your dates with Daddy Nu?" Jooheon giggled. "Uncle Minnie sounds fun!"

"He does, but he's probably too much fun for you right now." Kihyun laid back so that Jooheon's head rest against his shoulder. "So Uncle Minnie saw in your dad's secretary's planner that he will be meeting your mom tomorrow!"

"My mommy?"

"Yes. Uncle Ki asked Uncle Wonho, dad's best friend, and Uncle Wonho said your mom will be back from Jeju tomorrow. So, you probably won't be seeing Uncle Ki for a while."

"What does that even mean?! Why?!" Jooheon sat up, his eyebrows scrunched up angrily. "And you're Daddy Ki, remember?"

"Jooheon-ah, it means Daddy Nu and Mommy will be back together. Uncle Ki—"

"DADDY KI!" The toddler corrected him, once again, angrily. "Mommy is going to move back here! Jooheon is not going anywhere. Why would we stop seeing each other?"

"Mommy is going back to your dad. Daddy Nu wouldn't be needing me around anyway, so."

Jooheon gasped.

"Daddy Ki, are you," His eyes began to water as he faced Kihyun, holding both his shoulders with his small hands. "Are you breaking up with Daddy Nu?"

"More like, Hyunwoo is going to break up with me." 

"My Daddy Nu wouldn't!" He jumped off of Kihyun before storming to where his father went. There was a jumble of childish whines before Jooheon stormed back out, his father in tow with the same scrunched angry eyebrows.

"I couldn't really comprehend but Jooheon told me to come out looking angry." Hyunwoo faked a tone that's half-laughing, half-angry. He only looked hot, especially in his sweatpants and tight shirt.

"Daddy Nu!"

"Baby, Daddy Nu is really hungry, his brain is not working."

"Ah, then let me reheat the chicken. It must have gone cold because of all the drama." Kihyun quickly escaped, his footsteps being followed by more whines from Jooheon.

The other two joined him in the kitchen as soon as he had set the tonight's dinner down the table. Somehow, Hyunwoo had managed to calm Jooheon down but the younger was still sulking against his shoulder and refusing to sit in his own chair.

"Daddy Ki, is this spicy?" He asked, pointing at the pickled radish and emphasizing on the first two words.

"Just a little bit. Do you want some?"

"Feed me, please, Daddy Ki."

Kihyun obliged, taking note that Hyunwoo is being very amused by the situation.

"Why are you acting so spoiled, baby?" Hyunwoo squished Jooheon's filled cheeks with the hand he used to eat chicken. His other arm was busy keeping Jooheon in place.

"Hyunwoo!" Kihyun nagged when after the father stained his son's cheeks with the soy garlic sauce. He immediately reached for a napkin and wiped both the stained cheeks and dirty hands.

"Daddy Ki, I want to sit on your lap."

Hyunwoo tilted his head before passing Jooheon over, who hurriedly buried his face against Kihyun' chest. He reached over to touch his son's forehead.

"What's wrong, baby? Do you have a fever? Was it spicy?"

"It's okay, babe." Kihyun shushed him with a piece of chicken. "Jooheon-ah, if something hurts, you have to tell Uncle Ki immediately, okay?"

As if on cue, the toddler suddenly bursts into tears. Kihyun tried soothing him by rubbing his back but it wasn't working.

"Don't break up with Daddy Nu."

It was as if a glass broke in the quiet of the night. Like a robber broke in and ran into your favorite vase. The air was filled tense with regret and betrayal.

"Jooheon-ah, go to your room."

The toddler followed the orders quickly. Hyunwoo never calls him unaffectionately, much less uses that tone on him.

He reached down for his pocket as soon as he heard the door shut close. Hyunwoo placed a black velvet box on the table.

"Ki," He cleared his throat, catching Kihyun's hand. "Baby, I'm fully aware that my situation's not the most ideal. I have a son who doesn't bear my last name, I run a company that keeps me busy and away for most part of the day, and I think I am such an asshole for having the audacity to ask my boyfriend to babysit my son late at night because I'm too busy to make it home. I probably won't be able to take you on a proper honeymoon and I'm truly sorry to be putting the weight of both myself and Jooheon onto you, but please, can I, just me, be enough to make you stay? With me? For the rest of my life?"

He opened the box and revealed a pair of silver rings. It was plain and painfully very Hyunwoo.

Kihyun wants to say yes. God, he just wants to leap up into Hyunwoo's lap and stay in his arms forever. He also wants to laugh at how very characteristically Hyunwoo the proposal is, Kihyun's favorite chicken and favorite outfit on Hyunwoo. He's pretty sure the older chose the rings so that he would be reminded of Hyunwoo every time he looks at it. Its these little things that define Hyunwoo. And Kihyun wants nothing else but to bask in it.

But he can't. Not when he knows just how much Hyunwoo loves his son. He can't take away the chance for Jooheon to have his mom back, his whole family back together. Even his dreams of having a younger brother that's just like Changkyun would be crushed. Kihyun can't be that person when he loves Jooheon just as much.

So in lieu of words that might make his resolve crumble, he stood up and stormed out of the house, leaving everything including his heart.


	2. ii

Kihyun stared at his phone. He's been staring at it the whole night. He could see the picture Minhyuk sent him of Hyunwoo's Saturday schedule even with his eyes closed. _Arrival Gate 3, 8 AM. Pick up Jooheon's mom._

He kept his eyes trained on it, wondering if he should go. He's got two hours at most, one for making himself look half-decent even with his sore eyes and red nose and the other one for finding a perfect spot to hide as he spies on his, well, probably ex-boyfriend by now and his son.

The shower was damned to be forgotten as he wasted the hour and half still debating, but of course just like any other fool in love, he did go. He stood behind a fake indoor plant as he scoured the crowd for an appealing woman fit enough to stand beside Hyunwoo in every sense of the word.

It was easier said than done especially when you're Kihyun whose eyes naturally gravitate towards the mere sight of Hyunwoo. Once he found where Hyunwoo and Jooheon stood, it was hard to look away. Aside from the bags in his eyes, Hyunwoo looked as immaculate as usual. He didn't look like his marriage proposal was rejected. Kihyun, the one who rejected, look worse.

"Daddy Nu, it's Daddy Ki!" Jooheon pulled his hand from Hyunwoo before running to where Kihyun was pretending to hide. "Daddy Ki!"

"Jooheon-ah!!!" A woman's voice caught the attention of Jooheon, who swerved lanes and went running to her instead. Hyunwoo was unfazed, however, charging towards Kihyun.

He was enveloped into a hug as soon as Hyunwoo was an arm-length away. It was the tighest hug ever, like Hyunwoo didn't want to let go. Kihyun couldn't think of anything to say so he just wrapped his arms around the other's waist, all the while watching a petite woman crouch down and spread her arms for Jooheon to crash into.

"I'm not going to let you leave me again." Hyunwoo pulled Kihyun's attention all to himself.

"Babe, I don't think this is the best place to talk about that."

The older seemed to be back to his senses so he pulled away, quickly reaching for Kihyun's hand as if he will run the first chance he gets. They walked hand in hand over to where Jooheon and his mom were still talking childish gibberish.

"Ms. Lee." Hyunwoo shook hands with her.

"Ah, Mr. Son." She said, smiling politely before turning to Kihyun. "And Mr. Yoo. My name is Lee Dior. Jooheon has told me a lot about you."

"Oh, did he?" Kihyun shook her hand too, a little too awkwardly. "Yoo Kihyun, nice to meet you."

"Let's go home now, Mommy." Jooheon pulled at her hand to drag her out.

The car ride was a lot more than just awkward for Kihyun. Dior refused to sit beside Hyunwoo on the passenger seat and the driver insisted he put the seatbelt on for Kihyun. Jooheon was either giggling or making faces with her mommy the whole ride home.

"Mr. Son, would you mind if I go around the house with just Jooheon?" Dior asked once the car pulled to a stop.

"Ah, okay." Hyunwoo replied through the rearview mirror. "Let me open the doors for you, then we'll wait here in the car."

The three of them got off and Kihyun was left to watch as their little family of three strode to the door. Jooheon was holding on Dior's hand on his left, Hyunwoo on the other. Kihyun can't help but be absolutely envious.

Hyunwoo dashed back as soon as he had the door unlocked.

"You don't have an appointment today, do you?" He asked as soon as he's seated in the car. "I'm going to keep you all to myself today. Jooheon's not going to get even a glance of your attention."

"He clearly doesn't need me anyway." Kihyun shrugged. "Dior looks a lot like Minhyuk. You could have been dating him instead."

"Ki, Jooheon told me everything. And you're mistaken about pretty much everything."

"Babe," He turned in his seat so that he's fully facing Hyunwoo. "I love you and I want to make sure you know that. But in the process of loving you, I also fell in love with your son. You are my world and you mean a lot to me but I would willingly give up the world if your son needs me to. Jooheon has to grow up in a happy family, not with a random stranger his father met on a blind date."

Hyunwoo reached out to touch Kihyun's cheek. The younger thought about what to say to Hyunwoo all night but they were all forgotten.

"You're not a random stranger, Kihyun. You're my boyfriend and we have been together for three years. You accepted me and Jooheon and that's all I could ever ask for." Hyunwoo cooed at him. "And even if someone else does that, it wouldn't matter to me because it's not you."

"Jooheon needs you, babe. Boyfriends can break up but parents don't leave their children."

"Then why are you leaving him?"

Kihyun pulled back, staring at Hyunwoo as if he said the most incredulous words in the world. He was about to ask more questions but a knock on his door interrupted them. Hyunwoo pulled his window down.

"Mr. Son, Mr. Yoo, if you don't mind, can we talk inside?" Dior peered through.

Kihyun pranced through the kitchen familiarly. He poured coffee for them three and took out cookie for Jooheon. He sat beside Hyunwoo and across Dior.

"First of all, congratulations. You're one step away from having the adoption approved." She spoke up, ignoring the way Kihyun had been glancing at her and Hyunwoo then back at her. "You could've been approved by now but the condition you signed on the waiver is yet to be fulfilled."

"I understand." Hyunwoo nodded eagerly, yet still busily wiping the crumb off Jooheon's lips.

"All that's left to do is to get married." Dior grinned up at them. "But by what Jooheon narrated to me, it's not going to be anytime soon?"

Hyunwoo chuckled.

"I'll do something about it."

"It's fine. I'd dare say Mr. Yoo here is still young so settling down is that big of a deal to him."

"He's going to be my daddy." Jooheon voiced out his unsolicited opinion that made Kihyun blush.

"I'm not sure I understand." He finally admitted after a while of trying to piece up the information together. "What does my age have to do with the two of you getting married?"

Dior glanced at Hyunwoo questioningly before the latter sighed.

"I wasn't going to tell you because I don't want you thinking that I only want to marry you to get full custody of Jooheon." He pushed his hair back, watching as Dior take Jooheon to sneak out of the dining room. He continued as soon as they were left alone.

"I adopted Jooheon four years ago, but I wasn't really approved because my finances couldn't support the both of us that time. So Wonho and I risked it all and put up a small company. It profitted a lot so they allowed me to take him in foster care, with the condition that I'll only have him legally adopted once I get married. They said my household was perfect but Jooheon needs another parent figure, just like normal kids do. That time, I was desperate. I really needed to get married so Hyungwon arranged the whole blind date thing. It worked very, very well between me and you and I didn't want to rush things and have you leave me, therefore I waited until we were both sure. I am sure, very sure that I would like you to be Jooheon's dad and my husband, but I don't like you to do it just because I wanted to—"

"What about Dior?"

"Dior is the officer at the orphanage in Jeju. She took care of Jooheon from day one up to the time I took him home. I think she has all the rights, figuratively, to be called Jooheon's mom."

"Oh." Kihyun was dumbfounded, scratching the back of his neck and avoiding Hyunwoo's eye. If he only asked then maybe he could spare Hyunwoo the eye bags and rejection and Jooheon the tears.

"It's okay if you don't want to get married yet. Jooheon and I can wait, but for my sake, please don't take too long."

"How long is too long?"

"Oh, God." Hyunwoo hang his head low, the reality of the rejection seeping in. "I don't know, three years?"

"You'll be forty in three years, though."

"Please marry me by then."

"No way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to upload this a few days ago but the power just went back after the storm so hello.


	3. epilogue

Three Years and Two Weeks Later

"Daddy?"

Hyunwoo hummed, busily rechecking the article titled How To Make The World's Best Fried Chicken for Dummies! on Wikihow.

"I miss him." Jooheon announced, making his father stop everything he was doing and check on him. He was staring at Hyunwoo's phone, which displayed the most recent photo of Minhyuk and Kihyun, making a huge heart with their arms and the Eiffel Tower behind them.

Hyunwoo knows he should be happy for Kihyun but he's just plainly jealous.

"I miss him too." He pinched his son's cheek with his flour-drenched fingers.

"Daddy! You're making my face dirty."

"Your mommy will be here soon so we've got no time to be depressed, champ." He grinned. The endearment changed once Jooheon reached seven. "Daddy is done boiling the potatoes. You're strong enough to mash them by yourself now, right?"

"Of course. I'm a big boy now."

The loud dingdong of the doorbell had him running away from Hyunwoo's bowl of boiled potatoes, though.

"Daddy Ki!!!" Jooheon shouted, prompting his father to rush into the receiving area as well.

"Aw, you said your flight's later today." He whined, pulling Kihyun into a hug as soon as his son is done with his turn. "I was planning to take you on a sweet breakfast date tomorrow."

"Well, Dior and Minhyuk thought it'll be a good idea to surprise you." Kihyun stepped aside to let the two in their house. "And besides, did you really think I wouldn't be home on our wedding anniversary?"

"God, Kihyun overworked me in Paris just so that we'll be done real soon." Minhyuk remarked, watching the couple be sappy. "I'm going to quit this partnership and go back to your company soon, Hyunwoo hyung."

"Brother, you really should know when to keep out of their hair." Dior scolded her twin, reaching to twist his ear. "You've once almost ruined their relationship when you made Kihyun think I'm Hyunwoo's long lost wife or something."

"Let's go, Uncle Minnie!" Jooheon pulled the two to give his dads their well-deserved space. "I'm going to show you how to mash potatoes."

Kihyun stared back at his husband as soon as they were alone.

"You had him on potato duty again?"

"Of course. Tomorrow, I'll teach him how to set the table."

"Well, happy anniversary, Nu. What do you want for a gift?" Kihyun ran his hands on the former's hair. "Except for the chocolates and wine, of course. They're still in the car."

"I kind of was thinking about giving Jooheon a little brother." Hyunwoo played with the end of Kihyun's shirt, his fingertips leaving their trail on his husband's skin. "To teach him responsibility, of course."

"Good thing I made sure to bribe Minhyuk and Dior into babysitting him tonight."


End file.
